The present invention relates to fragrance compositions containing a mixture of (9E)-undecenonitrile, (9Z)-undecenonitrile, and 10-undecenonitrile, to a process of providing a fragrance to a substrate using these compositions, and to a process for preparing scented consumer products containing the mixture.
Aldehydes with hesperidic and floral notes are important perfumery ingredients. Examples of such aldehydes are, e.g., octanal, nonanal, decanal, undecanal, 10-undecanal, and citral. However, these aldehydes are readily chemically altered under oxidizing conditions or in solutions having a pH lower than 5 or higher than 9. Under these conditions the above mentioned aldehydes are chemically modified and therefore lose their fragrance characteristics and/or generate additional off notes.
Nitriles such as (9E)-undecenonitrile (1) 
are described in the literature. Zhu et al. describe the synthesis of (9E)-undecenonitrile (1) by oxidative addition of functionalized organozinc compounds with allylic halide mediate (Zhu L. et al., J. Org. Chem. 1991, 56, 1445). In Adamczyk, M. et al., Tetrahedron 1999, 55, 63 (9Z)-undecenonitrile (2) has been described as an intermediate in the synthesis of pyridinoline. (Adamczyk, M. et al., Tetrahedron 1999, 55, 63). Miyaura et al. used 10-undecenonitrile (3) as the starting material for a palladium catalyzed cross coupling reaction (Miyaura, N. et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1989, 111, 314). Further, a mixture of 3-methyl-5-phenyl-pentanenitrile and 3-methyl-5-cylcohexyl-pentanenitrile is disclosed in WO 99/26601.
The use of other nitrites such as decanonitrile, dodecanonitrile, tetrahydrogeranonitrile, Geranonitrile (3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienenitrile) and LEMONILE(copyright) (3,7-dimethyl-2(3),6-nonadienenitrile) is known in perfumery. These compounds are less chemically altered under strong acid, basic, and/or oxidizing conditions than aldehydes, and they exhibit aldehydic and hesperidic notes with floral aspects which are similar to those of the above mentioned aldehydes. However, a harsh, metallic odor appears as concomitant of these nitrites, which confers a xe2x80x9csyntheticxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cdirty, fattyxe2x80x9d aspect to the compositions to which they are applied.
An object of the present invention is to provide a fragrance composition which has a fresh sparkling, floral, fruity, and warm odor and a high stability under aggressive alkaline conditions.
Another object of the present invention to provide a fragrance composition which has a fresh sparkling, floral, fruity, and warm odor and a high stability under aggressive acidic conditions.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a fragrance composition which has a fresh sparkling, floral, fruity, and warm odor and a high stability under aggressive oxidative conditions.
One embodiment of the present invention is a fragrance composition containing a mixture of (9E)-undecenonitrile, (9Z)-undecenonitrile, and 10-undecenonitrile.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a process for providing a fragrance to a substrate by contacting a substrate with a fragrance composition wherein the fragrance composition contains a mixture of:
(a) (9E)-undecenonitrile;
(b) (9Z)-undecenonitrile; and
(c) 10-undecenonitrile.
A further embodiment of the present invention is a process for preparing a scented consumer product by:
combining a mixture of:
i) (9E)-undecenonitrile,
ii) (9Z)-undecenonitrile, and
iii) 10-undecenonitrile
with a base material for a consumer product.
The present invention relates to a fragrance composition containing a mixture of (9E)-undecenonitrile, (9Z)-undecenonitrile, and 10-undecenonitrile.
It has been found that mixtures of (9E)-undecenonitrile, (9Z)-undecenonitrile, and 10-undecenonitrile have a well-balanced fresh, sparkling floral, fruity, and warm odor and do not have the typical greasy, fatty character of nitriles. These mixtures also exhibit a very nice natural and lactonic aspect which is new for nitrile compositions. Additionally, mixtures of the present invention exhibit an astonishing olfactory stability in hostile media. Mixtures of the present invention are characterized by their outstanding stability under neutral, aggressive acidic, alkaline, and/or oxidizing conditions, by their excellent diffusion and pleasant odor and especially by lacking the greasy, fatty character of other nitriles. In many aspects, the compositions of the present invention are better than the current benchmark compound decanonitrile and are therefore preferred.
The fragrance composition according to the present invention, may be used alone or in combination with numerous fragrance ingredients of natural and/or synthetic origin. The range of the natural fragrances includes in addition to volatile, also moderately and only slightly volatile components. Synthetic fragrance ingredients belong to practically all classes of fragrant substances. Examples of such natural and synthetic ingredients are listed e.g. in xe2x80x9cperfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin,xe2x80x9d S. Arctander, Ed., Elizabeth, N.J., 1960 and xe2x80x9cperfume and Flavor Chemicals,xe2x80x9d S. Arctander, Ed., Vol. I and II, Allured Publishing Corporation, Carol Stream, USA, 1994.
An additional fragrance ingredient can be added to the mixture of the fragrance composition according to the present invention. A fragrance ingredient is defined as a substance with olfactory characteristics. An additional fragrance ingredient may consist of one or more ingredients. The compositions of the present invention harmonize particularly well with additional fragrance ingredients such as fresh, hesperidic notes (lemon, mandarin, etc.), fruity accords (peach, apricot, etc.), floral notes (lily of the valley, rose, iris, jasmine, ylang-ylang, narcissus notes, etc.), green and agrestic notes (galbanum, tagete, lavender, thyme, etc.).
(9E)-undecenonitrile is the major compound in the mixture of the fragrance composition according to the present invention, making up more than 30% by weight of the mixture. Preferably, the mixture is made up of between about 30% and about 80% by weight of (9E)-undecenonitrile, more preferably between about 40% and about 60% by weight. In a preferred embodiment, 10-undecenonitrile is the minor component in the mixture, making up less than 40% by weight of the mixture. Preferably, the mixture is made up of between about 0.01% and about 30% by weight, more preferably between 5% and 20% by weight, of 10-undecenonitrile.
Due to their excellent odor and application qualities, the compositions of the present invention are excellent for use in any field of perfumery, especially in functional perfumery. Consumer products with a non-hostile or a hostile media containing a fragrant composition according to the present invention, as well as an additional ingredient, are preferred. Consumer products with a non-hostile (neutral characteristics) media include alcoholic solutions, shampoos, hair conditioners, bath oils, air fresheners, cosmetics, and skin care products. Consumer products with aggressive alkaline media (xe2x80x9calkaline mediumxe2x80x9d) include soaps, laundry detergents, bleaches, automatic dishwashing powders, and scouring powders. Consumer products with aggressive acidic media (xe2x80x9cacidic mediumxe2x80x9d) include fabric softeners, deodorants, antiperspirants, and cleaners containing citric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfonic acid, or phosphoric acid. Consumer products with aggressive oxidizing media (xe2x80x9coxidizing mediumxe2x80x9d) include hair colorants and bleaches.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cneutralxe2x80x9d means a pH of between about 5 and about 9; the term xe2x80x9caggressive acidicxe2x80x9d means a pH of less than about 5; the term xe2x80x9caggressive alkalinexe2x80x9d means a pH of greater than about 9; and the term xe2x80x9caggressive oxidizingxe2x80x9d means oxidizing agents in liquid products (e.g., NoOCl ( greater than 1% ww active chlorine), H2O2 ( greater than 1% ww)), and/or oxidizing agents in solid products (e.g., perborate or percabonate ( greater than 5% ww)).
The amount of the fragrant compositions of the present invention in the product, alone or in combination with other fragrance ingredients, varies depending on the nature of the product, and the intensity of the desired odor. These factors are known to those skilled in the art. Preferably, the compositions of the present invention are present in the range of 0.01% to 1% in the product.
The compositions of the present invention can be used in a variety of cleansing products for household and commercial applications, including bleaches, laundry detergents, dishwasher detergents, stain removers, scouring agents, fabric softeners, soaps, and all purpose and special cleaners, in various forms including liquids, gels, sprays, bars, sticks, and powders.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9csubstratexe2x80x9d means a fabric, a hard surface, skin, hair, or any other surface upon which it would be desirable to impart a fragrance.
The fragrance compositions according to the present invention can be obtained either by a one-pot reaction from a mixture of the corresponding aldehydes, or by mixing the purified nitrites (1)-(3), obtained from the pure corresponding aldehydes. It is not necessary, but it is possible, to purify the aldehyde mixture before starting the one-pot reaction.
The scented consumer products for functional perfumery are prepared by admixing the mixture of (9E)-undecenonitrile, (9Z)-undecenonitrile, and 10-undecenonitrile, other optional fragrance ingredients, and a base material, e.g., a consumer product containing liquid and/or solid ingredients and a medium.
The following examples are provided to further illustrate the process of the present invention. These examples are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.